Krakozhia
Krakozhia, formally the Krakozhian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, is a country in the northern Toy Islands. Tikomira is the capital and largest city, whilst the second-largest city is Szôjdasch. It shares its borders with Bordoris to the west, Györmár-Kazvhalia to the northeast, Muzaffaridistan and Poldovia to the east, and Meziljava, the USSRT, and Visgaunia and Lenpasia to the south. Krakozhia is a federal Soviet republic with ten oblasts. Prior to colonisation by the Slavs in the 18th century, Krakozhia was inhabited by numerous NAME tribes. In 1723, NAME landed on what is now Tolmarnik-Veszgrad and claimed it for the Russian Empire, with subsequent Russian expeditions exploring the rest of the Krakozhian archipelago. Krakozhia remained a Russian colony until 1867. Most historians agree that modern Krakozhian history begins in 1882, when several Krakozhian states formed the Krakozhian Alliance, whilst another group formed the rival Pan-Krakozhian United Republic. With the beginning of the Second World War, the Krakozhian Alliance joined the Allies whilst the PKUR joined the Laltofians and the Axis. The Krakozhian Alliance was reduced to a government-in-exile and was not restored even after the defeat of the PKUR and Laltofian occupation troops by the USSRT. The states were united after the Second World War as the Krakozhian SFSR, and since then, the country has been ruled as a single party state by the Krakozhian Workers' Party. Krakozhia is the second-largest country in the northern Toy Islands behind the Laltofian Confederation and has a population of 73,795,000. The country is predominantly Slavic in ethnicity and culture, owing to its colonisation by Russia in the 18th century. History Prehistory Slavic Colonisation In 1723, Tsar Peter the Great of Russia ordered a fleet to be sent to colonise the Toy Islands. From far eastern Siberia, the fleet headed south and landed on what is now known as Krakozhia, then under the influence of the Bordorian Laltofians, and by 1776, the colonists had grown to be the dominant force in the area. This was not taken well by the combative Bordorians, who proceeded to launch an invasion against the now Slavic Krakozhian archipelago. Along with the movement of the original Russian settlers, widespread emigration of Poles and Czechs to Krakozhia also occurred in the 18th century, with the former leaving their homeland as a result of the Partitions of Poland and the latter moving primarily due to the declining political and religious situation in Saxony. When Tsar Alexander II sold Russian colonies in Tabi’atstan in 1867, he also announced that the Russian Empire would be pulling out of Krakozhia. At this point, the Slav residents of the area created several small kingdoms, although they vowed to stay united against the ever present Bordorian threat. As such, the Bordorians were dissuaded from attacking the Krakozhian states, even without the threat of full scale retaliation from the Russian Empire. The forced magyarization policies of the Hungarian government caused large scale Slovak immigration to Krakozhia in the 1870s, which continued throughout the early 20th century. Krakozhian Alliance On the 24th April 1882, the monarchs of the Krakozhian states gathered in the Stroznice Palace’s Hall of Victors in Tikomira and proclaimed Veselko Pavle Wasylyshyn of Kolochovo and Armatza to be President Wasylyshyn of the Krakozhian Alliance (Кракозий Альянс/Krakoziy Al’yans). However, the rulers of the states of Ploevsky, Meziljava, Timisovsky, NAME and NAME refused to be a part of the new alliance, and on the 8th July 1882 founded the rival Pan-Krakozhian United Republic (Пан-Кракозий Объединенная Республика/Pan-Krakoziy Ob"yedinennaya Respublika). Starting around the end of the 19th century, large numbers of Bulgarians, Croats, and Serbs moved to Krakozhia, mainly for economic reasons. Emigration of Bulgarians increased in the early 20th century from Ottoman and later Serbian and Greek-ruled Macedonia, Dobruja, southern Thrace, the Western Outlands and Bessarabia. Around the same time, agrarian resettlement resulted in the massive emigration of Ukrainians from Austro-Hungary and the Russian Empire, with many settling in Krakozhia. Beginning in 1917, the entire Krakozhian region received another wave of immigrants in the form of Russians and other Slavs from the collapsed Russian Empire escaping from the Communist Revolution and the Russian Civil War. In a twist of fate, they would find themselves living under a different socialist government later, as Krakozhian became a Tabi'atstani client state after the conclusion of the Second World War. World War II Following the declaration of war, the Krakozhian Alliance announced that it would join the Allies, whilst the Pan-Krakozhian United Republic (PKUR/PKOR) joined the Axis powers. By the DAY MONTH 1939, the Krakozhian Alliance was defeated by a joint force of Laltofian and PKUR troops and replaced by the Military Administration in Krakozhia. In 1944, the United States, Britain, and the USSRT reorganised the Military Administration in Krakozhia into the Provisional Government of Krakozhia. Cold War After the end of the Second World War, Tabi'atstani military authorities worked to set up a friendly communist government in the newly-unified Krakozhia. This culminated in a coup on the 23rd October 1947, in which communist partisans with the tacit support of the Tabi'atstani government and the Tabi'atstani Revolutionary Army overthrew the Provisional Government of Krakozhia and established the Krakozhian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. Whilst Krakozhia would remain and still is firmly in the Tabi'atstani bloc, it also strove to maintain good relations with both the Soviets and the Yugoslavians. Bordorian-Krakozhian War In 1983, Bordoris decided to invade its longtime enemy, the Krakozhia Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, and Bordorian troops crossed the border on the 5th August. Fighting was extremely fierce, with the Bordorian advance being slow due to both sides’ technological capabilities being extremely similar. Furthermore, there were rumours that the TBRE was going to aid Bordoris in order to shift the balance of the conflict. Opposition parties in the Beige House stopped the TBRE from becoming involved in the Bordorian-Krakozhian conflict. Instead, a peace was brokered by the TBRE and Tabi'atstan between Bordoris and the Krakozhian SFSR, resulting in a demilitarized zone that exists to this day. Late Cold War and Poldovian Independence In May 1986, the Krakozhian leadership promulgated the New Socialist Economic Regimen, a major economic reform inspired by the Tabi'atstani Tajdeed reforms. In May 1989, Poldovian revolutionaries emboldened by changes occurring in Eastern Europe began protesting in the regional capital of Poldavsk, demanding independence from Krakozhia. In response, the Krakozhian People's Army and the Civil Militia dispersed the protestors with violent force. On the 29th May, street fighting between rebels and government forces broke out, marking the beginning of the Poldovian War of Independence. 21st century During the Second Tabi'atstani Civil War, Krakozhian dissidents believed that they had a chance to remove communist rule from their country, as they thought that the Tabi'atstani troops stationed within Krakozhia would be unable to act decisively without orders from the Central Military Commission in Tabi'atstan. This resulted in several strikes and riots across the country, which were quickly put down by Krakozhian troops and Tabi'atstani soldiers who did not wait for orders and took the initiative to crush the Krakozhian dissenters. In 2014, Krakozhia was part of the Six-Nation Alliance that attacked Natural Green Land to liberate what were then the Thousand Islands and East Strip sectors. Geography Geology Write the second section of your page here. Land use Biodiversity Climate The majority of Krakozhia has a Köppen climate classification of Dfb, otherwise known as a humid continental climate. The areas of Vychkovia and Gostynskie contain large forests, although the majority of Shuvistinskie oblast except for the areas east of Perashta and Tiralov are mostly flat grasslands. The Prlovsky region is primarily covered in steppes except around the three lakes of NAME, NAME, and NAME, where marshes are predominant. Temperatures in the Prlovsky steppe can reach over 30°C in July. Politics Human rights Although articles relating to freedom of speech, assembly, the press, the right to a fair trial, and property rights are included in the constitution, the Krakozhian government also has the right to suspend these rights in matters concerning national security. As such, the Krakozhian government has been criticised for human rights violations and has been described as "authoritarian and dictatorial" by international observers. Law Krakozhian law is based on civil law with communist legal traditions. Foreign relations Krakozhia is considered part of the Tabi'atstani bloc, and is one of five founding members of the Coalition of Communist States. Administrative regions Krakozhia is made up of 10 oblasts, which are based on the country's historic states. Military The Krakozhian People's Army is split into five different branches, of which the three main ones are: the Ground Forces, the Navy and the Air Force. This is further supplemented by the Civil Militia, the Army Internal Service, and the Counterintelligence and Security Administration. The Krakozhian military is subordinate to the Ministry of Defence, and its commander-in-chief is the President of Krakozhia. Krakozhia does not have nuclear weapons capability, and no Tabi'atstani or other foreign nuclear weapons are stationed on Krakozhian territory. Krakozhia does however possess chemical and biological weapons, the use of which can be ordered by division-level officers. The country is heavily militarised due to tensions with neighbouring Bordoris, and the demilitarised zone along the Krakozhian-Bordorian frontier is one of the most militarised areas of the entire Toy Islands region. Full-out war started between the two countries during the Cold War in 1983, but this conflict was deescalated by TBRE negotiators, with the result being the demilitarised zone along the border between the two countries. The Krakozhian government has sought to emphasise the national traditional aspects of the military, which has been quite effective and has cultivated a genuine popularity of the armed forces among Krakozhian civilians. To deflect any anti-Tabi'atstani hostility, the armed forces have occasionally played up revanchist claims by neighbouring Bordoris. Law enforcement and emergency services Law enforcement services in Krakozhia are provided by the Krakozhian People's Militsiya, which acts as the regular police force. In cases of serious unrest, the Militsiya may call up the RJML, an auxiliary police force made up of deactivated members of the Internal Security Troops, the Border Defence Army, and the Militsiya itself. The elite units of the Militsiya are the TRML, responsible for dealing with serious crime, disaster response, and riot control. The Militsiya is run by the Ministry of Public Security. Seperate to the Militsiya is the State Security Directorate, which is the primary intelligence organisation in Krakozhia and run by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The Ministry of Internal Affairs also administers the ORSR paramilitary, the Krakozhian Border Defence Army, the Internal Security Troops, the Civil Defence Troops, and prison guards. Economy The Krakozhian economy is a socialist planned-economy based around five-year plans. The economy is dominated by the heavy industry and mining sectors, although agriculture also makes up a sizeable part of the Krakozhian economy. Krakozhia's five-year plans are often designed to work in tandem with Tabi'atstani five-year plans to better facilitate trade and help delegate priorities to states in the Tabi'atstani bloc. Krakozhia has a large automobile industry, and heavy vehicles are a major export. The main national automobile manufacturer is TMVI. There is also an indigenous aerospace industry in Krakozhia, with the main aircraft manufacturer being DAZ, as well as five large shipyards. In addition, Krakozhia is well known for its electric railroad locomotives. Machine parts production and electrical engineering are other important branches of the Krakozhian economy. Apart from Tabi'atstan, Krakozhia is the only Tabi'atstani-bloc state that builds heavy-duty nuclear power equipment, specialising in parts for smaller reactor units. Precision machine tools are another important Krakozhian export product. Agriculture continues to be a significant sector of the Krakozhian economy. The main agricultural products of Krakozhia are wheat, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, rye, and hops, with hops and sugar produced from beets being significant export crops. Krakozhian fertilisers produced by the country's own chemical industry are also widely exported to other Tabi'atstani bloc and Toy Islands states. The Krakozhian chemical industry is also a major producer of rubber and plastics. Krakozhia is rich in natural resources and has large chromite, coal, and uranium mines, and miners are considered an elite group due to their dangerous work, consequently receiving better pensions, accommodation, and pay compared with workers in other sectors. In the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, Krakozhian mines were put under joint-stock companies which the Tabi'atstani government possessed controlling interest in. The country also has numerous large steel mills and copper foundries that process locally mined metals, as well as several asbestos mines. Apart from metals, Krakozhia has several oil deposits, and is an oil exporting country. The clothing industry is another major part of the Krakozhian economy, particularly the shoe-making industry, with a significant portion of production in this sector being exported to other countries. Workers in Krakozhia who exceed production quotas or break records are given prizes, typically free or heavily subsidised holidays with paid leave. Breaking national records is justification for being nominated for the country's highest civic order, the Hero of Socialist Labour. Energy Electricity-generation in Krakozhia is mostly done through fossil-fuel-based power plants. Transportation Krakozhia has twelve major sea ports and a merchant fleet of some 440 vessels for a total of 5.22 million deadweight tonnes. The country is also home to the NAME Sea-NAME Canal, which crosses through the Medijaskie, Timisovsky, and Ploevsky oblasts. The canal was constructed in 195X with assistance from Tabi'atstan, the aim being to create a way to transport goods more effectively to the far eastern coast of Krakozhia. The canal was built with the use of large numbers of convicts conscripted for forced labour. Science and technology Krakozhia has a major nuclear research facility in Sprokhor, called the Sprokhor Atomic Research Centre. It is protected by checkpoints, helicopters which survey the surrounding areas, anti-aircraft artillery, and a squadron of fighter aircraft from the Krakozhian People's Air Force. The Centre has a nuclear reactor for producing plutonium from uranium, and was involved during the Cold War in research regarding protection from the effects of nuclear weapons. Communications Demographics Ethnic groups Slavic Krakozhians constitute the vast majority of the Krakozhian population, accounting for some 95.67% of the population. Krakozhia also has a significant population of Roma, comprising some 1,015,000 people or around 1.38% of the population. The next two largest ethnic minorities in Krakozhia are ethnic Györmár standing at 590,000 (0.80%), and Eisenthians comprising 390,500 (0.53%). Laltofians make up another important minority with 200,000 residing in the country (0.27%). In addition, a small Cossack minority exists in Krakozhia, numbering some 43,000 people. In total, there are five Cossack hosts in Krakozhia; the Fëdorki, the Kolva, the Lunev, the Nerpo, and the Zarech'ye. There is also a very small population of 15,400 Jews. Urbanisation The majority of the Krakozhian population lives in cities, with 76.1% of the population residing in urban areas. Language The two state languages of Krakozhia are Krakozhian and Russian. Krakozhian can be written in both the Cyrillic and Latin alphabets. Traditionally, the nobility and city dwellers wrote in the Latin alphabet whilst commoners in the rural areas would write in the Cyrillic alphabet. Since the communist takeover in 1947, both have become commonly used. Religion The majority religion in Krakozhia is Christianity, and most religious Krakozhians are either Orthodox Christians or Roman Catholics. Muslims and athiests also comprise a significant amount of the population. Freedom of religion is enshrined in the Krakozhian constitution. Health Under the Krakozhian constitution, healthcare in Krakozhia is free and provided for by the state, and the healthcare industry is heavily subsidised by the government. All medical service providers and hospitals in Krakozhia are subordinate to the Ministry of Health. Health policy in Krakozhia centres on preventive medicine and health education. Major health issues in Krakozhia include AIDS, narcotics abuse, and alcoholism, with the first two being linked by the fact that intravenous drug users commonly use syringes, which due to being rare are often shared between users. Consumption of fizzy drinks has increased since the 1980s, with the average Krakozhian consuming some 64.4 litres of soft drinks each year. Since the 1970s, the Krakozhian government has adopted an explicitly pro-natalist policy in population planning, with family allowances being increased (especially for second and third children), birth grants doubled to be the equivalent of two to four weeks of family income, and low-interest loans designed so that a portion of the principal is canceled with the birth of each child being made available to newlyweds. Perhaps most enticingly, couples with children have priority on apartment waiting lists and are entitled to larger living quarters. Spas are considered part of the health care system, with 58 being spread across the country and many of them specialising in the care and treatment of particular kinds of ailments. All Krakozhian spas have either mineral or hot springs, and some also offer mud treatments. Welfare Workers are covered by a compulsory social insurance programme administered by the state central bank which includes free medical treatment, coverage for accidents and disabilities, unemployment compensation, and retirement benefits. Workers contribute 10 percent of their monthly income toward financing the programme, with the amount being matched by a contribution from the employing enterprise. In addition, women workers have a full complement of maternity and child-care benefits, with employers not being permitted to deny a woman's request for an additional year of unpaid leave for child rearing (without loss of job seniority) and a system of child allowances and maternity grants also assisting women who take unpaid leave. Self-employed persons and members of farm and craft cooperatives have their own slightly different programme administered by the state. Culture Krakozhia can be divided roughly into three cultural zones; Vychkovia (Tikomira, Kolochovo, Tolmarnik-Veszgrad, Armatza, Trensovo-Galhoven), Gostynskie (Otwockie, Medijaskie, and Shuvistinskie), and Prlovsky (Timisovsky, and Ploevsky). Vlörenska is variously put in either the Vychkovia or Gostynskie regions due to its location, whilst Eisenthia is considered culturally distinct from the rest of Krakozhia. Poldovia, now an independent state, is sometimes considered culturally to be party of Gostynskie. Since the establishment of the Krakozhian SFSR, Krakozhia has developed a distinct culture and produced characteristic works of literature, film, visual arts, music, and theatre, although complex relationships exist between artists and the state as well as between oppositional and conformist art. Distinguishing aspects of Krakozhian popular culture include interest in Native American history reenactment and the comparatively high popularity of public nudism. Art Murals are a common type of art in Krakozhia, almost always in the Socialist Realist style and typically portraying themes such as the positive development of Krakozhian society after the Second World War and the establishment of the communist government. Such pieces of art are designed to be readily accessible and are considered democratic in nature due to the fact that it is easily understandable by the mass public. Literature Architecture Krakozhian architecture is widely varied, including such styles as Byzantine, Art Nouveau, and Socialist Realist. Krakozhia has numerous examples of fortifications and churches, such as the Vredubna Castle in the capital, Tikomira. Islamic architectural influences are also present, although this is mainly limited to mosques. As Krakozhia became prosperous after colonisation, numerous nobles and important persons in the country decided to build luxurious castles and châteaux, such as Vrána Castle and the aforementioned Vredubna Castle. Whilst the majority of these were decorative and built primarily as stately homes, some did have a military purpose, such as the Fortress of Bezuchov located near the border with Poldovia, which currently serves as a military base and prison. The majority of these palaces were built in the Renaissance and Baroque styles. Music Krakozhia has several popular musicians such as Ambrož Hlaváček, although Krakozhian pop artists typically do not discuss politics and are looked upon with a level of suspicion by the Krakozhian Workers' Party due to their popularity. However, their use as a source of hard currency is appreciated by the government, although the State Security Directorate and the Counterintelligence and Security Administration are quick to intervene if any subversion is detected. Theatre and cinema Almost all Krakozhian films are produced by the Krakozhian Film Public Corporation, the country's state-owned film studio founded in 1946 and originally founded by the Tabi'atstani government as a way of reeducating the Krakozhian populace. The Krakozhian film industry was somewhat stifled during the 1950s due to the need to satisfy propaganda and censorship requirements (meaning that many films were about redistribution of land or economic planning), but Krakozhian cinema took off in the 1960s with the production of popular "Red Westerns". The number of Western films shown in Krakozhia is quite low due to the cost of licensing and a desire to avoid screening movies which represent or glorify capitalistic ideologies. Media The media in Krakozhia is heavily regulated by the government, with all TV and radio stations being state-owned. There are no legal independent media outlets in Krakozhia. The government runs a national television service called "Televideniye Krakozhiya", as well as regional channels for each of the country's ten oblasts. The state run television service also runs several genre-specific channels. The government runs two main radio services, which are "Krakoziy Radio" and "Dobroye Utro Krakozhiya", also known as "Krakozhian Radio" and "Good Morning Krakozhia" respectively. Other small regional radio services also exist, although these are heavily regulated by the government. Both radio and television sets in Krakozhia are produced in such a way so that they are only able to access government-approved channels. However, some Krakozhian citizens point their TV antennas towards areas like Poldovia so as to receive Western media channels, although these are liable to be taken down or realigned by the Militsiya, the State Security Directorate, or the Counterintelligence and Security Administration. Similar to radio and television services, all newspaper publishers in Krakozhia are run by the government, giving it a monopoly on information circulating in the country. The printed news industry in Krakozhia is highly developed, and the most popular newspaper is "Krakozhia Daily". Other major newspapers include Gonec Ljudij ("The People’s Courier") and Čŕvena Zvězda ("The Red Star"). Cuisine Typical Krakozhian foods include blini (a thin pancake made with buckwheat flour) and sausages. Herbs and garnishes are often used liberally in Krakozhian cuisine. A dish strongly associated with Krakozhia is szlaszeck, a type of shish kebab traditionally made from dog meat, although beef is now normally used instead. It is served with sauce, and sometimes mushrooms and salad. Another common Krakozhian dish is bigos (sometimes known as hunter's stew), which is made from finely chopped meat stewed with fresh cabbage and sauerkraut. A popular Krakozhian dessert dish is a sweet doughnut-like pastry known as pąšišky, similar to the Polish pączki. The national drink is mineral water, with water from the capital city, known as Tikovoda, being an important export. Krakozhia also produces its own carbonated soft drinks, namely Kavosvěž and Kracockta. Kavosvěž (a contraction of the words "kava/кава" and "osvěžati/освежати", meaning "coffee" and "refresh" respectively) is made from surplus caffeine produced during the process of coffee roasting. It contains 30% less sugar and 56% more caffeine than Coke or Pepsi, and contains no phosphoric acid. Aside from the regular flavour, there are also lemon, Christmas cinnamon, cherry, apricot, vanilla, guarana, marzipan, chocolate, watermelon, walnut and coconut flavours. Kracockta is based on the Cockta soft drink from Yugoslavia, formerly produced in what is now Slovenia. It comes in rose hip, lemon, and orange flavours. Krakozhia is a producer of vodka, wine, and beer, with the west of the country generally being associated with vodka and the east being associated with wine and beer. Krakozhian table wines are often stored in bottles similar to the Italian fiasco bottles associated with chianti. A customary traditional beverage in Krakozhia is kompot, which can be made from various fruits and was a traditional way of preserving fruit. Fruit brandy known as rakija is also popular, with plum brandy (slivovitz) being a speciality in certain regions of Krakozhia. Symbols The Krakozhian national flag makes use of the pan-Slavic colours, with the star in the centre representing socialism and the Krakozhian Workers' Party. Sports Krakozhia places great emphasis on sports as a leisure activity, as it is easy to organise and healthy. It also has military and economic benefits as the government believes that a fit population is required to effectively defend the country and meet production goals. Every five years, the Krakozhian government holds a sports festival called the Spartakiad, focusing mainly on mass gymnastics displays. Aside from its role as a leisure activity, sport is also seen by the Krakozhian government as a way to prove the superiority of socialism. However, Krakozhia has been hit by several doping scandals, particularly among female athletes, with the athletes themselves often being unaware that they are taking illegal performance enhancing drugs as they are typically simply labelled as "vitamins". The doping programme is considered so important that the State Security Directorate has a role in overseeing it. Category:States Category:Alliance of Toy Islands Category:Krakozhia